Machines for producing synthetic yarn



P. T. SLACK Dec. 15, 1970 MACHINES FOR PRODUCING SYNTHETIC YARN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed June 18,. 1968 Dec. 15, 1970 P. T. SLACK 3,546,873

- MACHINES FOR PRODUCING SYNTHETIC YARN Filed June 18, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States atent Ofi U.S. Cl. 5793 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for twisting and winding yarn into a package known as a ring twister, having novel drive and drive control means to reduce the driving torque at least during threading up to allow the twister to follow any reduction in the speed of delivery of material to the machine during threading-up without increasing the tension in the material beyond its breaking point. The design allows rapid and simple threading-up of the machine and wound packages contain 100% twisted yarn. Suction waste disposal tube means may be provided at or near the input to the ring twister into which the leading end of continuously produced material may be deflected during threading-up.

This invention concerns textile machinery and in particular a device for twisting and winding yarn into a package. Such a device is commonly referred to as a ring twister.

It is an object of the invention to provide a ring twister which is readily threaded-up to facilitate the initial setting-up of the machine and subsequent setting-up as full packages are replaced by empty spools or bobbins.

It is a further object to provide a ring twister from which packages of yarn may be obtained containing 100% twisted yarn.

According to the present invention in a ring twister comprising a spindle to carry the package of twisted material, a ring surrounding the spindle and arranged to traverse the spindle during winding, a traveller carried on the ring, traverse drive means and drive means to rotate the spindle at a substantially constant speed during winding, means is provided to reduce the driving torque of the spindle drive means at least during threading-up to allow the spindle to follow any reduction in the speed of delivery of material to the twister during threading-up without increasing the tension in the material beyond its breaking point.

Preferably spindle drive control means is provided having three positions corresponding to no drive to the spindle, drive with reduced torque and drive with full torque, respectively.

The drive for the spindle may comprise an electric motor and the drive control means, a three position switch and current limiting means associated with one position of the switch to limit the current to the motor in that switch position.

Alternatively the drive may comprise a constant speed drive and a friction or electro-magnetic clutch may be provided between the constant speed drive and the spindle.

The drive control means would in this case comprise a clutch control device to disengage the clutch (=OFF), allow clutch slip (:REDUCED TORQUE) and fully engage the clutch (=FULL TORQUE).

Preferably the traverse drive means may be uncoupled from the ring during threading-up, so that the ring remains at one end of its travel until the drive is reinstated.

A ring twister constructed in accordance with the invention and embodying the two preferred features may be threaded-up according to the following steps of driving the spindle with reduced torque, uncoupling the traverse drive from the ring, causing the material to become wrapped around an empty package former (spool) carried by the spindle, at the end of the former adjacent the stationary ring, looping the material under the traveller on the ring, increasing the spindle drive to full torque and reinstating the traverse drive to the ring.

To facilitate wrapping the material around the package former, the material is first passed around a smooth stationary abutment or peg on the machine substantially in line with the stationary position of the ring. The traveller may then be moved around the ring to embrace the material passing over the ring, after which the loop of material can he slipped off the abutment or peg to allow the traveller to circulate around the ring and introduce the twist into the material.

A suction waste disposal tube may be provided either temporarily or permanently at or near the input to the ring twister into which the leading end of continuously produced material may be deflected during threading-up.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a ring twister embodying the invention and the steps involved in threading-up the machine and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the first stage of threading-up,

FIG. 2 the second stage, 1

FIG. 3 the machine when threaded and operating, and

FIG. 4 the machine with a fully wound package, at the end of winding.

Since the four figures of the drawings refer to the same machine, the same reference numerals have been used throughout.

In the drawings a cylindrical former 10 is carried on a vertical spindle 12 driven by an electric motor 14 and is surrounded by a ring carriage 16 around which a traveller 18 can circulate. A pigtail lappet 20 is mounted coaXially above the spindle 12 the material to be wound on the former 10 being guided through the eye in the lappet. The supply of electric power to the electric motor 14 is controlled by a voltage switch 22 having three positions, indicated in FIG. 1 only as OFF, REDUCED TORQUE and FULL TORQUE.

The ring carriage 16 is driven by drive means (not shown) so as to traverse the length of the former 10 during winding and thereby distribute the wound material over the available length of the bobbin. A lever 24 is provided by which the traversing drive can be disengaged and the carriage 16 arrested at one end of its traverse.

A suction discharge device comprising a tube 26 is shown in dotted outline adjacent the lappet 20. This may be permanent or fixed temporarily in place when it is required to dispose of unwanted material for example to prevent build-up during threading-up. To this end the material is deflected into the tube 26 by which it is conveyed to a waste container.

To assist threading-up, a smooth peg 28 is provided on the edge of the carriage under which the material can be looped. It will be appreciated any convenient abutment may be used as for example shaft of the lever 24.

The first three figures show the various stages of threading-up the machine which can be described as follows:

Initial threading-up is shown in FIG. 1. Here material 30 to be wound (shown in chain link line) is passed through the lappet 20, around the peg 28 and Wrapped around the former 10. The traverse drive is disengaged during threading-up and the material 30 is consequently wound around the lower end only of the former 10.

Any adjustments are now made to stages of the material path preceding the lappet 20any changes in speed of the material resulting from these adjustments being accommodated by the speed/ torque characteristics of the spindle drive motor when operated with reduced supply voltage.

As soon as the material passing through the lappet is suitable for twisting and winding the traveller 18 is moved around the ring carriage 16 to the position shown in FIG. 2. Here the material is made to pass under the traveller hook before passing to the former.

Full torque is now applied to the spindle 12 by advancing switch. 22 to the appropriate position, and the loop of material 30 slipped oil the peg 28, which allows the traveller to circulate and impart twist into the material (see FIG. 3). At the same time the traverse drive is reinstated by appropriate adjustment of lever 24.

The resulting package is shown in FIG. 4. Here the material 30 is shown out just below the lappet 20. The free leading end is gathered into the suction disposal device 26 while the trailing end 32 is shown overlying the carriage 16. It will be noted that the untwisted material is bunched around the lower end of the former and this can be removed from the end of the package for example by cutting-oif that end of the package. The resulting package then only contains fully processed material (e.g. fully twisted yarn).

In FIG. '4 the switch 22 is shown in the OFF position by which the spindle is held stationary for removal of the full bobbin and positioning an empty bobbin after which the machine is threaded-up according to the previously described procedure.

I claim:

1. In a ring twister comprising a spindle to carry the package of twisted material,

a ring surrounding the spindle,

drive means to move the ring axially of the spindle to traverse the spindle during winding, and

a traveller slidable on the ring, the improvement comprising:

spindle drive means to rotate the spindle at a substantially constant speed during winding, and

control means to reduce the driving torque of the spindle drive means at least during threadingup, to allow the spindle speed to reduce to accommodate any reduction in the speed of delivery of material to the twister during threadingup without exerting a breaking strain on the material.

2. In a ring twister as set forth in claim 1, said spindle drive means comprises a constant speed electric motor.

3. In a ring twister as set forth in claim 2, said control means comprising,

a switch means having three switch positions, and

means connecting said motor and switch means with a source of electric current at full supply voltage and at reduced supply voltage said three switch positions providing:

no current, current at reduced supply voltage, to reduce the torque delivered by the motor to allow the motor speed to reduce and current at full supply voltage to the motor.

4. In a ring twister as set forth in claim 1, said spindle drive means comprises a constant speed drive and said control means includes a friction clutch between said constant speed drive and the spindle, said control means including means for partially disengaging said clutch to reduce the torque transmission factor thereof at least during threading-up.

5. In a ring twister as set forth in claim 1, said spindle drive means comprises a constant speed drive and said control means includes an electromagnetic clutch between said constant speed drive and the spindle, said control means including means to reduce the energizing current to the clutch energising windings to reduce the torque transmission factor thereof at least during threading-up.

6. In a ring twister as set forth in claim 1,

means for uncoupling the traverse drive from the ring, to keep the ring in a given position at one end of its travel, during threading up.

7. In a ring twister as set forth in claim 6,

means coupling the traverse drive coupling-uncoupling means and the control means for adjusting the spindle driving torque whereby the traverse drive is uncoupled from the ring simultaneously with operation of the control means to reduce the driving torque on the spindle.

s. In a ring twister as set forth in claim 6,

a smooth guide substantially in line with said given position of the ring around which the tape can be looped during threading-up of the machine.

9. In a ring twister as set forth in claim 1, a tape entry for receiving tape to be twisted, a suction waste disposal tube situated at least during threading-up, adjacent the tape entry to the twister into which the leading end of continuously produced material may be deflected to assist in replacing filled packages and threading-up, and Waste storage means connected to said waste disposal tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,840,642 1/1932 Stone 57100X 1,985,838 12/1934 Reeves 5794 2,138,658 11/1938 HOngO 57l00 2,572,138 10/1951 Griset 5734.5X 3,015,204 1/1962 Long 5798 3,074,224 1/1963 Kennedy et al. 5754 3,256,683 6/1966 Andersen et al. 5799X 3,332,224 7/1967 Joy 5798X 3,358,433 12/1967 Curtis et al 5793 3,374,616 3/1968 Hidden et al 57-119X DONALD E. WATKINS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 57--3'4.5, 

